Catholic Morality We need to inform our conscience…..but with what?

Review Catholic teachings about morality are based on two things. What are they? What people are seen as good examples for Catholics to emulate? What is the Catholic definition of sin? What is free will? Do Catholics believe that humans have it?

In Catholic teachings… God created people to be rational – meaning they can think and make decisions. God cannot make us love him or follow his commands. We have the freedom to commit sin, but in Catholic writings, we are said to become more free if we use our freedom for good. Living a life of sin is seen as slavery to sin. The circumstances of an act need to be considered, however it does not necessarily justify the act. Create an example of this.

In Catholic teachings… Following one’s own conscience (which is necessary for a human to have full dignity) should be protected by law. Jesus died for our sins – doesn’t that mean we are all saved? Yes, but we must also be open to letting God’s grace work within us to do good. We have to cooperate in our own salvation and work to be free of sin.

Discuss this cartoon. Explain it to a partner.

Why be faithful? In your journal: Why should people be faithful to the teachings of their culture, their family or their religion?

The 10 Commandments God gave these commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai as two stone tablets. They are the moral foundation of both the Jewish and Christian beliefs. How many of the commandments can you name?

I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol. You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain. Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. Honour your father and mother. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife. You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbour.

Ten Commandments in the Catechism CommandmentTeachingWhat does it mean TODAY? The First Commandment : “You shall not have other Gods before me” What does the Catechism say – quotations (give paragraph #) -#2136 “duty to offer God authentic worship” -#2134 “love Him above all else” What would it: look like? sound like? involve people doing? avoiding? Avoid putting anything before God (idolatry) E.g. putting material goods first, putting your job ahead of God, “worshipping” the god of consumer culture, missing opportunities to worship God (i.e. missing Mass willfully) We must always find time to pray sincerely daily We need to pray alone and in community Do not be ashamed of our faith or religion

CommandmentTeachingWhat does it mean TODAY? The First Commandment: “You shall not have other Gods before me” What does the Catechism say – quotations (give paragraph #) -#2138 “superstition is a departure from the worship that we give to the true God” Do not put faith in superstitions E.g. Avoid relying on horoscopes, psychics, tarot cards etc. Avoid sins of irreligion – atheism (believing that there is no God), simony (charging fees for sacraments) and sacrilege (misusing sacred items) E.g. selling holy relics on ebay, putting the Eucharist in your pocket instead of in your mouth We are not committing idolatry by genuflecting to the Eucharist – that is true reverence

How can these relate to my life? Create a word web in your notes

First Commandment: I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me Do you worship the false gods of status, consumerism or peer approval? Do you ignore or avoid old friends in order to be part of the popular crowd? Do you make unreasonable demands on your parents for clothes or money?

Second Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain Do you use language that you would never speak in front of your grandmother? Is your language a reflection of a low opinion of others (e.g. insults)? OMG!

Third Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Lord's day Do you skip Mass because few of your friends go to church or because you feel that the gift of God’s presence should be entertaining? Do you make sure to spend time with your family on Sundays?

Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and your mother Do you thank your parents for what they do for you? Do you offer to help around the house? Do you value your family members as much as you do your friends? Do you respect authorities in our community?

Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill Do you value your life and that of others? Do you drink and drive or travel with those who do? Do you experiment with drugs and show no regard to their effect on your grades, your self-respect or your relationships? Have you ever hit your girlfriend or boyfriend? Have you ever contributed to the death of someone’s reputation or self-esteem? The Church’s teachings are against: experimenting on embryos, the death penalty, most wars, abortion, assisted suicide.

Sixth Commandment: You shall not commit adultery Do you use other people for your own selfish pleasure? Do you lie to get others to act against their values? Do you see sex as a way to be popular or to rebel against your parents? Do you understand, respect and practice chastity? (controlling sexual urges) Do you respect the sexuality of yourself and others? Do you avoid pornography or other things that treat people like objects?

Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal Do you cheat on tests or homework? Do you ever shoplift or take things that don't belong to you? Do you respect the things you have? Do you care for the environment and animals? Do you reject social sins like slavery?

Eighth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor Do you gossip or pass on rumors that hurt other people? Can you be trusted? Do you lie to protect your own ego, even if someone will be hurt? Do you lie to keep yourself out of trouble? Do you lie to protect other people?

Ninth Commandment : You shall not covet your neighbor's wife Are you envious of others? Do you resent their popularity or success? Do you feel you have to put others down in order to feel better about yourself? Do you respect the sexuality of other people? Do you avoid lust?

An Examination of Conscience for Teens The first step of reconciliation is an honest examination of conscience. To truly enjoy the benefits of the sacrament, a candid look back over past actions is required. 6 S TEPS FOR A GOOD CONFESSION 1.Examine your conscience. What sins have you committed since your last good confession? 2.Be sincerely sorry for your sins. 3.Confess your sins to the priest. 4.Make certain that you confess all your sins. 5.After your confession, do the penance the priest gives you. 6.Pray daily for the strength to avoid sin in the future, especially for those sins you were just absolved from.